


A Million Ways To Think About You

by sunshinexbomb



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-05-30 10:46:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15095093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinexbomb/pseuds/sunshinexbomb
Summary: “Anna thinkswhat?” Nail asks.Alex bites his lip. “Well, not us specifically. But she thinks I’m datingsomeone. And I told her I wasn’t, but you know what Anna’s like - once she has an idea in her head she refuses to believe anything else. And she thinks the person I’m bringing to the wedding is going to be my boyfriend, and I’m sure she’s told our parents as much already.”“So you need me to what? Pretend to be your boyfriend for the weekend?”“I guess?” Alex shrugs.--Or Nail pretends to be Alex's date for a wedding, and Alex realizes that maybe he doesn't want it all to just be pretend after all.





	A Million Ways To Think About You

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [ariadne83](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariadne83/pseuds/ariadne83) in the [PuckingRare2018](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/PuckingRare2018) collection. 



> This was written for ariadne83 who asked for "Fake dating. Emergency last-minute wedding date. Trope-y best friends turning into something more." and this is _exactly_ that, so I hope you enjoy it!! I've been wanting to write this ship forever, so thanks for giving me the opportunity to do so.
> 
> Thanks to Julie and Kassie for the beta, all other mistakes are my own.
> 
> Everything thing here is fictional etc, etc. TItle is from All Time Low's "Birthday".

As far as sisters go, Alex knows that he’s seriously lucked out when it comes to Anna. But then again, sometimes he has to admit: Anna is the fucking worst.

“What do you mean you can’t come?” he asks, and it comes out as more of a whine than he means for it to.

“Sorry, little brother,” she replies, not sounding sorry at all. She’s not even looking at the camera while they’re Facetiming, her phone probably propped against something while she’s busy with something else. “Work beckons. You know some of us don’t get the whole summer off.”

As soon as the words are out of her mouth, Anna looks up at the camera guiltily. “Sorry, that was shitty.”

It was pretty shitty, but Alex waves it off. He leans back in his desk chair, running a hand through his hair.

“No, it’s fine,” Alex says, even if it’s really not. His season sucked and they both know it. If he had his way, he wouldn’t have the whole summer off either.

Anna still looks a little guilty, the corner of her mouth turned down with it. Alex doesn’t particularly want her sympathy. He’s done his locker clean out, his exit interviews. He’s said his piece and now he wants to put this whole fuck-up of a season behind him and look towards what he can improve on for the upcoming season.

“Listen, if you’re going to make me go to this wedding by myself, you need to help me find a suit,” Alex says, obviously trying to change the subject.

It works, because Anna rolls her eyes at him with a laugh. “You won’t be by yourself. Mom and Dad will be there. And you better find a plus one because Mom said the bride and groom paid an _obscene_ amount per head for dinner and we’re not letting that go to waste.”

Alex frowns. “And who am I going to take with me? Mostly everyone’s packed up and left for the summer already and I’m _not_ taking Gally after what happened last time.”

“No, Gally has most definitely been disinvited from all future Galchenyuk family events,” Anna says sternly. “Just take your boyfriend, you moron. I think it’s about time that Mom and Dad meet him.”

“What boyfriend?” Alex asks flatly.

Alex would know if he was dating someone. There was a guy, back around Christmas time when he last went home to Florida, but that ended rather quickly and he had definitely not told Anna about it just in case it turned out to be nothing. There was another one a couple months after that, but it fell apart quickly when Alex realized that he didn’t have the time or energy to put effort into a relationship this season. But since then, Alex’s life had mostly just been games and practices and scrabbling up points on a team that was having a dreadful time trying to produce goals.

“Don’t play dumb with me, I know you’re seeing someone,” Anna says, turning away from her phone again, like Alex’s reaction isn’t even worth her time. “You were all moony-eyed during the holidays and I’ve been tracking your Instagram closely enough that I can tell.”

“Anna, I really—”

“Alex, I know you like to keep these things private, but it’s been long enough that I think we should meet him. Maybe I can’t give him a stamp of approval yet, but Mom will sure want to.”

Alex resists banging his head against his desk. Repeatedly. Anna is quite possibly just as stubborn as he is, if not more. Alex has a feeling it’s going to take a lot to convince her that she’s got everything wrong.

“Okay fine. Whatever, Anna. I’ll figure it out.” Alex says, which is not really a confirmation one way or the other, but hopefully enough to satisfy Anna’s nagging.

“Great,” Anna beams, and it’s Alex’s turn to feel guilty. She looks genuinely happy for him, happy at the prospect that he might finally be seeing someone seriously. “Take lots of pictures for me.”

Alex rolls his eyes and ends the call without a goodbye.

\--

Alex is at a loss about what to do. Make up an excuse for why his imaginary boyfriend can’t come? Tell everyone they broke up? Try and convince Anna that he was telling the truth about not having one?

That last one probably isn’t an option.

Asking one of his teammates probably isn’t an option either. He wasn’t lying about most of them already being gone for the summer. No one stuck around for very long, not when the season ended as such a disaster without even the hope of making the playoffs. Guys had packed up quickly to go back to their families and friends and as far away from Montreal and its overbearing media presence as possible. Alex himself had only stuck around because he was going to fly straight to Boulder for the wedding and then fly back to Florida with his family.

A week before the wedding, Alex still has no plan for what to do about his plus-one situation, and then the Avs get knocked out of the playoffs at home, and suddenly he has an idea. It’s not a great one, but, well, at this point, it’s probably better than nothing.

\--

“You need me to what?” Nail asks, which is a fair question.

“I need you to go to this wedding with me,” Alex says again, slowly. He knows Nail understands him. He even said it in Russian.

“Why?” Nail asks. “Or, why _me?”_

Nail’s picture over Facetime is grainy, but Alex can still make out his smile, his familiar laugh lines. Alex has missed him, hasn’t talked to him much since they last played against each other. He hopes that this doesn’t feel too out of the blue, and he kind of hates that asking Nail for a simple favor might feel like that at all when they’ve always been so close.

“Because you’re my best friend?” Alex tries, hoping it sounds a bit sincere.

“Try again.”

“Because the wedding is in Boulder and you’re already in Denver and no one else will go with me,” Alex admits more warily.

“There we go,” Nail says, and Alex has known him long enough to pick up the teasing in his voice.

“Nail, please,” Alex says, because apparently he’s not above begging. He bites his lip nervously.

Nail rubs at his chin. He’s shaved already, face fresh and smooth. It makes him look younger, like the Nail Alex remembers hugging with an excited smile and endless amounts of hope when they first got drafted.

“Yeah, I guess a wedding wouldn’t be the worst way to start off the summer,” Nail says, finally.

Alex doesn’t sigh out loud, but it’s a close call. “You’re the best.”

“I know,” Nail says, still smiling, _always_ smiling.

“I’ll see you soon,” Alex says, rolling his eyes, and when he hangs up the call, he’s smiling too.

\--

Alex really only needs to pack for a weekend, but somehow he ends up on Nail’s doorstep with two suitcases and three different suits dry-cleaned and freshly pressed and ready in case he needs them.

“Were you planning on moving in?” Nail asks when he opens the door and barely suppresses his laughter. “Because I’m really not sure how long I’m going to be living in this apartment.”

“Shut up,” Alex says before letting Nail pull him into a hug.

Nail’s obviously just gotten out of the shower, his skin still damp, his hair wet. He smells clean when Alex’s nose presses against his neck.

“Did you know you look twelve without a beard?” Alex asks.

“Did you know you look forty with one?” Nail shoots back, taking one of Alex’s suitcases from him as he steps inside.

Nail’s apartment is—bare. It’s not the first time Alex is visiting Nail in Denver, but it still strikes him how it’s not like Alex’s place in Montreal, which feels cozy and lived-in. Nail doesn’t have much furniture, there’s no art on the walls. There’s not much of _Nail_ anywhere, and it strikes Alex that a one-year contract means that Nail’s comment wasn’t just a joke—there’s no telling where Nail will be next season. That feeling at least, is more familiar to Alex than he wants it to be.

They’re not leaving for Boulder until early tomorrow morning, so Nail sets Alex up in his guest room, which, like the rest of Nail’s apartment, is neat but sparsely decorated.

“Why did you bring so much shit?” Nail asks, setting Alex’s suitcase at the end of the bed, and Alex shrugs sheepishly.

“I didn’t know how much stuff I would need.”

“You brought three suits,” Nail deadpans. “The wedding is just the one night.”

“I know! But I didn’t know which one to wear,” Alex says, unzipping one of the bags for his suits. “Anna was supposed to help me out and then never did.”

Nail helps him get out the other two suits, laying them all across the bed side-by-side. He frowns. “Sasha, these are all exactly the same.”

Alex feels heat rise in his face. “There are some differences—in, in the stitching and the cut and—black suits are classic.”

“They’re boring,” Nail says. “And you’re an idiot. You really brought three of the same suit all the way here from Montreal because you couldn’t figure out which one to wear.”

He’s laughing and Alex can’t help but smile too. He shoves Nail gently. “Shut up. You’re awful.”

“Did you also bring—yup,” Nail’s already digging through Alex’s suitcase without permission, pulling out three identical white button ups and three red ties.

“Again, this look is—”

“Boring,” Nail nods, “you’re right. Let’s find you something else to wear.”

“You really don’t have to dress me,” Alex laughs, following Nail out of the room and Nail shoots him a bright smile over his shoulder.

“Apparently I do, since you don’t know how to dress yourself.”

Alex shakes his head, smiling to himself when he realizes that just being here with Nail makes him happy enough that he doesn’t even feel the need to complain.

\--

They spend the night the same way they spent hundreds of ones before this in Sarnia: staying up too late, playing video games, Alex getting grumpy when he loses, Nail tackling him and starting wrestling matches when _he_ loses.

Alex feels lighter than he has in ages, laughing until his stomach hurts at Nail’s stupid jokes and, for once, thinking about something that’s not hockey and how bad the past season was or how the next season might go. They don’t talk about it at all, not about the Canadiens not making the playoffs, not about how Nail spent all of playoffs up in the press box. They don’t need to, not tonight, and that’s the way Alex wants it.

The morning comes way too early considering how late they were up, but coffee makes it easier, as does Nail whipping up a quick batch of eggs for them to scarf down before they pack up Nail’s car and hit the road. The drive’s not long, just about forty minutes from Nail’s apartment, and they’ve left early enough that there’s not much traffic, just him and Nail and miles of empty highway.

Nail has the radio on low as he drives, and Alex wonders if this is the same early morning talk show he listens to on his way to the rink in the mornings. They’re playing top 40 hits in between radio show banter and listener call-ins. Alex isn’t paying it much attention, but he catches Nail smiling, laughing in the right places. It settles something in Alex’s chest, making him feel soft and warm. All his emotions feel stretched out wider, like they’re mimicking the endless amounts of open road.

Even when they’re driving to a place Alex has never been to, everything about being with Nail makes Alex feel at home.

They’re about halfway there when Alex reaches forward to turn the radio down. Nail takes his eyes off the road for a second to raise an eyebrow at Alex curiously.

“So, there’s something I didn’t tell you about this wedding,” Alex admits. He wrings his hands nervously, wishes he had something else to hold that he could fiddle with.

“Are you actually the one getting married?” Nail asks, and it startles a laugh out of Alex.

“What? No, oh my god. You think I would have my wedding in _Boulder, Colorado_?”

Nail shrugs. “Colorado is very beautiful.”

Alex rolls his eyes. There’s a bit of nerves rolling in his stomach, but it’s not as bad as he thought it’d be. “Maybe, but that’s not the point. The thing I didn’t tell you is um. Well, you see. Anna sort of thinks we’re dating.”

“Anna thinks _what_?”

Alex bites his lip. “Well, not us specifically. But she thinks I’m dating _someone_. And I told her I wasn’t, but you know what Anna’s like - once she has an idea in her head she refuses to believe anything else. And she thinks the person I’m bringing to the wedding is going to be my boyfriend, and I’m sure she’s told our parents as much already.”

Nail is quiet for a moment, eyes trained on the road. Alex can’t read much on his face, but it’s probably a good sign that he at least doesn’t seem angry or upset. When he finally speaks, he says, “So you need me to what? Pretend to be your boyfriend for the weekend?”

“I guess?” Alex shrugs. “Just like, in front of my parents for the night. Not even the whole weekend. And maybe for Anna if she decides to Facetime or whatever. Then in a couple months, or whatever, I’ll tell my parents we decided to break up and just stay friends or something.”

Nail hums consideringly. “You waited until we were halfway there to tell me this?” This time, Alex can tell he’s teasing, and it makes the tension Alex didn’t even realize he was holding in his shoulders relax.

“Well, it’s too late to turn around now, right?”

“I could just leave you on the side of the road here.”

Alex smiles. “But you won’t.”

Nail grins at him, all pointy teeth and laugh lines. “Don’t be too sure.”

They drive in silence for just a little bit longer, the only sound coming from the hum of the engine and the low rumblings of the turned down radio. Nail looks mostly relaxed, his grip loose and easy on the steering wheel.

“I guess I’ll do it,” he says finally after the GPS has told him there’s an exit coming up in a couple miles that they have to take.

“You’re sure it’s not problem?” Alex says. “If it is, I can just tell my parents -”

“No, it’s fine. I’m sure it’ll make them happy. I mean, who could you find that’s better than me, right?”

“Just shut up and drive,” Alex says, laughing loudly. Nail smiles at him as he turns the radio back up and settles into his seat for the rest of the journey.

\--

They get to the hotel with plenty of time to spare. The ceremony isn’t supposed to start until late afternoon, giving Alex and Nail time to settle in and have lunch before starting to get ready.

“Whose wedding is this anyway?” Nail asks as they make their way up the elevator with their things.

Alex shrugs. “My dad’s, like, second cousin or something, not exactly sure. No one I’ve ever met. But my parents were _very_ insistent that we go.”

Nail gives him a look, like it’s stupid to be traveling all the way across the continent to attend the wedding of someone he’s never even met. Alex supposes it is, but he’s always had a hard time telling his parents no, and he had agreed with the idea that he would at least have Anna here as company. It’s been a long time since they both had an opportunity to attend a big family event like this, and a part of Alex misses it, if only to get to spend more time with her. It kind of sucks that she’s missing it, but Alex also can’t complain about having Nail here with him.

All of the bride’s family are staying on one floor, and Alex tells Nail as much as they get off the elevator. “My parents are probably somewhere around here also,” he says, opening up the door to their room.

They walk through the small entranceway leading inside, Nail flicking on the light behind Alex. Before he even sets his things down, Alex groans.

“There’s only one bed,” he says, blushing a little.

Nail laughs loudly. “Weren’t you supposed to be sharing this room with Anna?”

Alex makes a face at him, walking in further to drop his suitcases at the foot of the king sized bed. “I guess she called them and asked to make other arrangements. Or maybe my parents did, I don’t know.”

Nail doesn’t seem too bothered by it all, dumping his things a bit more unceremoniously than Alex and jumping on the middle of the bed. “At least it’s a big bed,” he says, already getting comfortable.

“I can just call and ask if they have other rooms,” Alex says, already reaching for the hotel phone that connects to the lobby.

“Nah, it’s fine,” Nail says, leaning up on one arm so he’s facing Alex. Alex stops short, waiting for him to continue. “They’re probably busy as it is with the wedding going on, right? And it’s just for one night. We’ll manage.”

“What? You’re going to sleep in the tub?” Alex asks dryly, but he’s already taking a seat on the edge of the bed, settling in as well.

“No, we’ll just snuggle,” Nail says, like, _duh, of course that’s what we’re going to do_. “You _are_ my boyfriend after all.”

Nail doesn’t wink, but if he did, Alex wouldn’t even be surprised. “I’m not really your -”

“Yeah, but we’re keeping up appearances. It’ll be weird if your parents or Anna or someone find out we got here and immediately asked for a room with two beds. They gave us this room for a reason.”

Nail has a good point, Alex supposes. And it’s not like they hadn’t shared beds before. Usually, it’d be because they accidentally fell asleep after a long night or passed out in the other’s room a little tipsy but—this is probably not that different.

“Fine,” Alex agrees. “Let’s at least order lunch then.”

“Great,” Nail says with a grin. “I want steak.”

They get their meal delivered to their room and eat on the bed together, propped up against the pillows. The bed is pretty big, but they’re still two fully grown hockey players, and there’s a lot of unintentional bumping of elbows and legs pressing together.

At one point they get into an argument about whether they should watch “Say Yes to the Dress”—“To get us in the _wedding mood_ ,” Nail insists—or “Chopped”. It ends with Nail’s fingers digging into Alex’s ribs until he’s a giggling mess forced to give up the remote, but luckily, none of their meal is sacrificed to the floor.

Sometime after noon, they start getting ready, taking turns to shower in the small bathroom before getting dressed. Nail’s chosen a deep purple, checkered suit for the day, one that Alex would never be able to pull off. It looks great on Nail though, the color going nicely with his skin. Alex wears one of the suits he brought, but with a shirt of Nail’s, a purple one that matches Nail’s suit, and a paisley print tie.

“See, I told you it’d be cute if we matched,” Nail says, straightening his tie in the mirror while Alex struggles with his.

Alex makes a soft noise under his breath, frustrated that his fingers suddenly feel clumsy and have all of a sudden forgotten how to make a simple knot. Nail looks at him and rolls his eyes, taking pity and grabbing the lapels of Alex’s suit to turn him towards him.

“I can’t believe you’re still awful at ties. You wear one every week,” Nail chastises and Alex only blushes a little as Nail fixes the knot for him.

Nail’s very close, enough so Alex can see how thick his eyelashes are, can see a bit of pink across his cheeks because it’s way too hot in their hotel room when they’re both in suits. Alex’s breath catches a little when Nail’s fingers brush against his neck while he’s smoothing down Alex’s collar, and Alex hopes that Nail doesn’t notice.

“There,” Nail says, admiring his work. If Alex didn’t know better, he’d think Nail was admiring him a little too. “Looking handsome.”

Alex absolutely doesn’t blush, but he does smile. “You look okay too, I guess.”

Nail laughs, ruffling up Alex’s hair a little and making him yelp in surprise. “C’mon, pretty boy. We have a wedding to attend.”

\--

The wedding ceremony is held at a church not far from the hotel. Alex texts his parents to let them know when he’s there, but they agree not to meet up until the reception back at the hotel. He doesn’t mention that it’s Nail there with him, and his stomach turns a little when he remembers that he can’t avoid that re-introduction for long.

As far as wedding ceremonies go, this one is not too bad. It’s fairly short, which is always ideal. The bride - Alex can’t remember her name for the life of him - looks beautiful, and there are a few tears not just up at the altar, but in the pews too. He notices Nail’s eyes getting a little misty, but keeps his chirps to himself for once.

They drive back to the hotel together, mostly in silence, and Alex’s nerves get worse the closer they get.

Before they get out of the car, Alex takes a deep breath. “You’re sure you’re okay with the whole -” he pauses, waving his hand around uselessly.

“The whole fake dating thing?” Nail asks, and Alex nods. “Sasha, it’s fine. I wouldn’t have agreed to it if it wasn't. Are _you_ okay with it?”

Alex bites his lip nervously. “I don’t know. It’s been a long time since I’ve introduced my parents to someone I’m seeing—for real or otherwise. I just— don’t know how it’ll go.”

Alex is a bit surprised when Nail takes his hand, squeezing it gently. It helps to settle Alex’s nerves a little. “It’s going to be fine. Your parents know me already, which will make it easier. And just—consider it practice for when you are dating again for real.”

“Thanks for this,” Alex says. “Stupid Anna. It’s all her fault,” he adds, grumbling a little.

Nail laughs. “Anything for you, babe,” he says and then pauses. “I mean, not anything. If you had asked me to marry you, I would probably have drawn the line there.”

“Shut up, I’d make a great husband,” Alex snips back immediately, smiling when Nail laughs again, more loudly and open.

“Sure, but let’s see if you make a good boyfriend first.”

When they’re out of the car, Nail takes his hand again, and Alex is glad Nail doesn’t say anything about the fact that his palms are all sweaty and gross. Nail does give his hand another squeeze, though, as they walk into the hotel’s ballroom, spotting Alex’s parents quickly at their table.

His parents spot him too, and they’re not subtle in hiding their surprise when they see who Alex has brought.

Alex’s mom is the first one out of her seat, enveloping him in a hug and a warm, “Sasha, it’s so good to see you.”

There are few things more comforting to Alex than hugging his mom. It’s always familiar, safe. He only gets the same feeling from a few other things, like stepping out onto Bell Centre ice for the first time after a long summer, or Nail’s head listing onto his shoulder when they’ve reached their limit binge watching Netflix on the couch.

It’s just one more thing that makes him feel at home.

“It’s good to see you, too,” Alex says, unable to wipe the smile from his face. It had been a long end to the season, and he’s missed her terribly.

“And you brought - Nail?” she asks, sounding confused but not disappointed, hugging Nail too. “I thought you were going to bring -”

She stops short when Nail wraps his arm around Alex’s waist, fingers slipping down to curl around Alex’s hip. Alex feels heat creeping up his neck and face, and he tries to smile.

“Surprise?”

“Surprise, indeed. But not a bad one,” his mom says as Alex and Nail take their seats next to her at their table.

Nail lets go of his waist, but takes his hand, and Alex is grateful.

“So, how long has this been going on?” Alex’s dad asks. “Anna said you’ve been seeing someone since Christmas, but -”

“I was seeing someone at Christmas, but it was someone else,” Alex says, looking at Nail nervously. They hadn’t really discussed this part, what they were going to say or how they got together. Hopefully they’ll be able to just wing it.

Nail for his part, looks calm and collected, not missing a beat. “We got together in February. When Sasha came to play in Denver. I’ve, um. Well— I’ve had feelings for him a long time. Longer than I can remember. And it all just sort of came out when he came by to see me after the game.”

Alex swallows a little thickly. Nail looks sincere, honest, like what he’s saying isn’t just an act. Alex had gone to see him after that game against the Avs, but nothing like that happened. Alex remembers the night, of course, staying up with Nail, talking and laughing like old times, Nail chirping Alex about the fact that the Canadiens had—unsurprisingly—lost. But to Alex, it was just another night with Nail, one of hundreds that left him feeling warm and happy despite what other things he had to worry about outside the next morning.

“That’s lovely,” Alex’s mom says, smiling warmly. “You two have always been so close, I guess this isn’t so surprising.”

Nail rubs his thumb over the top of Alex’s hand in his soothing circles. Alex tries to focus on that instead of the weird swoop in his belly that he can’t explain. “Yeah, I guess it just felt right,” he says, glancing at Nail. He’s a bit taken aback by the tenderness of Nail’s smile, but tries not to show it.

“Well, we’re glad that you’re sharing this with us,” Alex’s mom says sincerely. “It’s so good to see you happy again, Sasha.”

Alex smiles and nods, and he doesn’t pull away when Nail’s arm wraps around his waist, allowing Alex to lean against him in comfort.

\--

For the most part, the night goes smoothly. Nail doesn’t leave Alex’s side the whole night, and Alex’s parents are lot less nosy than Anna would probably be, just letting them be.

There’s an open bar, and Alex takes full advantage of it, ordering drinks for him and Nail until he feels a bit more loose and relaxed. Nail is all smiles, his cheeks turning pinker with every glass that Alex brings back to the table.

“Hey,” Nail says, leaning in close to whisper in Alex’s ear later in the night. His breath is warm and smells like champagne. It tickles against Alex’s neck and makes him shiver. “We should dance.”

The bride and groom had just finished their first dance, other couples now leaving their seats to step onto the dance floor. Alex can see his parents, his mom’s head against his dad’s shoulder. Others are dancing with their significant others, with their kids, their friends. The bride is dancing with who Alex thinks is her father-in-law, the groom with his mother-in-law.

Alex swallows nervously. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fun,” Nail says, grabbing Alex’s hand and pulling him up out of his seat.

Alex is tipsy enough that it makes him stumble a little, and he’s giggling when Nail’s arm steadies him, gripping him tight around his waist. “I think I had a bit more to drink than I thought,” Alex admits.

“It’s fine, me too,” Nail says with a laugh, and Alex wonders if it’s the alcohol that’s giving him the confidence to let Nail pull him onto the dance floor.

It’s a slow song playing, and Nail pulls Alex up against him. Nail has one hand on the small of Alex’s back, and the other in his hand. They’re close, close enough that Alex can feel the heat of Nail’s body, close enough that if Alex wanted, he could lean his head on Nail’s shoulder too. Alex’s heart is beating ridiculously hard against his rib cage.

They’re close enough that if Alex had the guts, he could kiss Nail, could feel their mouths pressed together, soft and sweet.

The thought makes Alex’s heart beat even harder. It’s not a thought he’s ever had about Nail. Nail, who’s always been one of his best friends. Nail, who’s always made him feel at home.

And he thinks back to what his mom said, about this not being so surprising. And maybe Alex is a bit of an idiot for being surprised right now.

“You do, by the way,” Nail says, startling Alex out of his thoughts.

“Do what?” Alex asks. They’re not really dancing as much as they are just swaying together. It works better this way, probably.

“Make a pretty good boyfriend,” Nail says, with a flash of a smile that’s sincere and sweet. Alex has always loved his smile.

Alex laughs softly. “You make a pretty good one, too.”

Nail pulls him in closer, and they stay like that, pressed together, as the song winds up around them.

\--

The reception wraps up around midnight.

The night is a lot more fun than Alex thought it would be. He gets to see family he hasn’t seen in ages. He talks to cousins and aunts and uncles, many of whom have more than their fair share to say about Julien’s coaching, about Alex playing wing, about what the Habs can do to help their failing defense. Alex tries to avoid those conversations for the most part, and he’s glad to have Nail with him to change the topic or whisk him away when things get to be too much.

Near the end of the night, they press their heads close together for a selfie and send it to Anna. Alex promptly turns his phone off after that, knowing that she will for sure barrage him with text messages. He can wait to talk to her in the morning.

When the lights in the ballroom come back up, they stumble back through the lobby and to the elevator, to head up to their room. Nail is tactile from all the alcohol, both of his arms wrapped around Alex’s waist and whispering jokes in Alex’s ears to make him laugh even though there’s no one around them.

Alex doesn’t particularly mind having Nail so close to him.

It’s late when they finally get to bed, and Alex is surprised when Nail rolls over to him, spooning him from behind.

“I thought you were joking about snuggling,” he laughs and Nail just pulls him closer.

“I never joke about snuggling,” Nail says, his breath warm against Alex’s skin.

Alex falls asleep quickly, wishing that this could be something he could have every night.

\--

In the morning, Alex wakes up too warm and only slightly hungover. Beside him, Nail is still asleep, lying on his back now instead of wrapped up around Alex like the night before. But Alex has a leg hooked over Nail’s hip, and his arm across Nail’s chest, which is just embarrassing enough when he’s sober to make him pull away quickly.

Alex lays there for a second, listening to Nail’s steady breathing. He thinks about the night before, about Nail and what it felt like to have him by his side all day, to dance with him, to sleep next to him in the same bed.

He thinks about wanting to kiss Nail on the dance floor, and how that feeling still hasn’t gone away.

Alex is showered and packed by the time Nail finally wakes up. He smiles at Alex when he does, soft and sleepy, his hair ruffled, and god, yeah, Alex definitely wants to kiss his best friend.

“I ordered you breakfast,” Alex says, motioning towards the room service he’d called up early, and Nail’s smile grows.

“You’re the best boyfriend ever,” he says, and it makes Alex’s stomach flip.

They’re out of the room just before check-out time, and on the road just before noon. It’s Sunday morning and the roads are still pretty clear even though it’s a bit later in the day than when they left.

For the most part, they drive quietly. It’s nice out, and Nail has the windows down, wind ruffling his hair. Alex takes control of the aux cord, putting on a playlist that PK had made for him ages ago with some feel-good summer songs.

The moment is serene and nearly perfect, and Alex wishes that it could go on forever. That he didn’t have to worry about trades or contracts or whether or not he’d finally be moved back to center next season. All he wants is this moment, Nail and good music and the sun on his face as they drive down the Colorado highway.

Between a couple of stops and the traffic, which gets heavier the closer they get to Denver, they’re back at Nail’s sometime around mid afternoon. Alex’s flight back to Florida isn’t until Monday, so he and Nail take all their things back inside, Nail helping Alex bring his stuff into the guest bedroom again.

Before Nail leaves the room, however, Alex stops him with a hand wrapped around his wrist.

“I wanted to thank you again, for yesterday,” Alex says. “You didn’t have to do that, and I appreciate it.”

Nail grins, taking Alex’s hand in his. “It really wasn’t a hardship pretending to be your boyfriend.”

Alex hesitates for a second, biting his lip. He pauses long enough that Nail actually frowns, a worry line appearing between his brows. “Is something wrong?” Nail asks.

“I was thinking. And um -” Alex pauses. His heart his beat fast, his stomach tight in knots. “I think that this weekend made me realize that maybe I don’t want this to just be pretend.”

Nail’s the one to pause this time, looking at Alex in surprise. “Are you saying you want me to be your boyfriend for real?”

“I’m saying that I’ve wanted to kiss you since last night, so yeah, pretty much.”

Alex isn’t expecting Nail to close the gap between them, and he lets out a little squeak in surprise when their mouths meet. Nail’s hand is big and warm against Alex’s face and he kisses him softly and so, so sweetly.

“Your beard tickles,” Nail says when they part, and Alex laughs, his face tucking into Nail’s neck, because of course Nail can make him laugh at a time like this.

“Is that a good thing?”

“I don’t know,” Nail says. “Let’s try again just to make sure.”

Nail smothers the laugh bubbling out of Alex’s mouth with another kiss. This time it’s a bit harder, and he leads Alex back until the back of his knees hit the edge of the bed. Nail guides him until they’re both lying down, Nail straddling Alex’s waist. Alex gasps when Nail’s hand sneaks underneath his shirt, fingers ghosting over his bare skin.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you since we were in juniors,” Nail admits, when Alex kisses his jaw, his neck. “I just—never thought I would be able to.”

“God, you’re telling me we could’ve been doing this for years?” Alex asks, tugging Nail’s shirt up over his head. “Took us long enough.”

“But we got here in the end,” Nail says, and Alex is so, so glad that they did.

\--

**Epilogue**

**To: Anna Galchenyuk  
** **_[Picture Message]_ **

**From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** omg

 **From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** alex

 **From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** alex what the fuck

 **From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** are you telling me your boyfriend is NAIL YAKUPOV

 **From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** the same nail yakupov you’ve been best friends with forever

 **From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** HOW COULD YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME???

 **From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** ALEX. SASHA. ANSWER ME.

**Missed Call From: Anna Galchenyuk**  
**_Missed Call From: Anna Galchenyuk  
_ ** **_Missed Call From: Anna Galchenyuk_ **

**From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** alexander alexandrovich galchenyuk you are SO DEAD the next time i see you

 **From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** but also i guess you guys are cute and i’m happy for you

 **From: Anna Galchenyuk  
** but also you are so fucking dead

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! Kudos, and especially comments, are **_very_** appreciated. 
> 
> If you want to talk to me, you can find me on tumblr and twitter, both are under @tjoshov!


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